Consolidated Statement of Stockholders' Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Contribution Transactions [Member]	IPO [Member]	Class A Common Stock [Member]	Parent Company [Member]	Parent Company [Member] IPO [Member]	Common Stock [Member] Class A Common Stock [Member]	Common Stock [Member] Class A Common Stock [Member] Contribution Transactions [Member]	Common Stock [Member] Class A Common Stock [Member] IPO [Member]	Common Stock [Member] Class B Common Stock [Member]	Common Stock [Member] Class B Common Stock [Member] Contribution Transactions [Member]	Treasury Stock [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member] Contribution Transactions [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member] IPO [Member]	Capital [Member]	Capital [Member] Contribution Transactions [Member]	Accumulated Loss [Member]	Accumulated Loss [Member] Contribution Transactions [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss [Member]	Noncontrolling Interest [Member]
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2012	$ 589,412				$ 514,111		$ 0			$ 0		$ 0	$ 1			$ 545,471		$ 2,903		$ (34,264)	$ 75,301
Balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2012							(100)			0		0
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Contribution	32,677				32,677											32,677
Distribution	(106,060)				(104,634)											(104,634)					(1,426)
Additional paid-in capital	2				2								2
Net (loss) income	(29,605)				(30,295)													(30,295)			690
Net current period other comprehensive (loss) income	24,192				20,633															20,633	3,559
Ending Balance at Oct. 01, 2013	569,828				493,084		$ 0			$ 0		$ 0	3			473,514		33,198		(13,631)	76,744
Balance, shares at Oct. 01, 2013							(100)			0		0
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2012	589,412				514,111		$ 0			$ 0		$ 0	1			545,471		2,903		(34,264)	75,301
Balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2012							(100)			0		0
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Dividends declared on Class A common stock				$ (11,103)
Deemed dividends on Class B convertible common stock	0
Net (loss) income	(10,072)
Net current period other comprehensive (loss) income	31,039
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2013	568,004				468,210		$ 355			$ 156		$ (24)	489,412			0		(13,336)		(8,353)	99,794
Balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2013							(35,531,720.00)			(15,555,000)		(934.000)
Beginning Balance at Oct. 01, 2013	569,828				493,084		$ 0			$ 0		$ 0	3			473,514		33,198		(13,631)	76,744
Balance, shares at Oct. 01, 2013							(100)			0		0
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Distribution	(232,640)				(232,640)								(232,640)
Interest in Gulf Wind retained by Pattern Development	0				(28,584)											(18,332)		(13,122)		2,870	28,584
Assumption of liabilities related to Contribution Transactions	4,207				4,207											4,207
Issuance of common stock	93	$ 0	$ 317,042		93	$ 317,042		$ 194	$ 160		$ 156		93	$ 470,701	$ 316,882		$ (450,975)		$ (20,076)
Issuance of common stock, shares							3,437	19,445,000	16,000,000		15,555,000
Issuance of Class A restricted common stock	156				156		$ 1						155
Issuance of Class A restricted common stock, shares							83,183
Repurchase of shares for employee tax withholding	(24)				(24)							$ (24)
Repurchase of shares for employee tax withholding, shares												(934)
Stock-based compensation	263				263								263
Dividends declared on Class A common stock	(11,103)			(11,103)	(11,103)								(11,103)
Acquisition from Pattern Development	(57,852)				(57,852)								(54,942)							(2,910)
Distribution to noncontrolling interest	(866)																				(866)
Net (loss) income	19,533				13,336													13,336			6,197
Net current period other comprehensive (loss) income	6,847				5,318															5,318	1,529
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2013	568,004				468,210		$ 355			$ 156		$ (24)	489,412			0		(13,336)		(8,353)	99,794
Balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2013							(35,531,720.00)			(15,555,000)		(934.000)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of common stock	286,893				286,893		$ 108						286,785
Issuance of common stock, shares							10,810,810
Issuance of Class A restricted common stock	3,496				3,496		$ 2						3,494
Issuance of Class A restricted common stock, shares							175,915
Issuance of Class A common stock upon exercise of stock options	327				327								327
Issuance of Class A common stock upon exercise of stock options, shares							14,861
Repurchase of shares for employee tax withholding	(693)				(693)							$ (693)
Repurchase of shares for employee tax withholding, shares												(24,531)
Conversion of Class B common stock to Class A common stock	0						$ 156			$ (156)
Conversion of Class B common stock to Class A common stock, shares							(15,555,000)			(15,555,000)
Stock-based compensation	610				610								610
Refund of issuance costs related to the initial public offering	286				286								286
Dividends declared on Class A common stock	(56,976)			(56,976)	(56,976)								(56,976)
Recognition of beneficial conversion feature on Class B convertible common stock	(21,901)				(21,901)								(21,901)
Adjustment to paid-in capital for beneficial conversion feature recognition	21,901				21,901								21,901
Accretion of the Class B beneficial conversion feature	21,901				21,901								21,901
Deemed dividends on Class B convertible common stock	(21,901)				(21,901)								(21,901)
Contribution from noncontrolling interests	406,163																				406,163
Increase in noncontrolling interests from business combinations	35,259															35,259		0			35,259
Distribution to noncontrolling interest	(2,100)															(2,100)		0			(2,100)
Net (loss) income	39,999				31,290													31,290			8,709
Net current period other comprehensive (loss) income	(36,536)				(36,715)															(36,715)	179
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2014	$ 1,164,734				634,148		$ 621			$ 0		$ (717)	723,938			0		(44,626)		(45,068)	530,586
Balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2014	(62,062,841)						(62,088,306.000)			0		(25,465)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of common stock	$ 316,952				316,952		$ 124						316,828
Issuance of common stock, shares							12,435,000
Issuance of Class A common stock under equity incentive award plan	0						$ 2						(2)
Issuance of Class A common stock under equity incentive award plan, shares							186,136
Repurchase of shares for employee tax withholding	(860)				(860)							$ (860)
Repurchase of shares for employee tax withholding, shares												(39,836)
Stock-based compensation	4,462				4,462								4,462								0
Dividends declared on Class A common stock	(102,893)			$ (102,861)	(102,893)								(102,893)								0
Dividend equivalents declared upon vesting of deferred restricted stock units	(23)				23								23
Recognition of beneficial conversion feature on Class B convertible common stock	23,743				23,743								23,743
Buyout of noncontrolling interests	(86,276)				8,771								16,715			(88,747)		(14,244)		(7,944)	(95,047)
Deemed dividends on Class B convertible common stock	0
Contribution from noncontrolling interests	334,231																				334,231
Increase in noncontrolling interests from business combinations	205,100															205,100		0			205,100
Distribution to noncontrolling interest	(7,882)															(7,882)		0			(7,882)
Net (loss) income	55,607				32,533													32,533			23,074
Net current period other comprehensive (loss) income	(19,965)				(20,313)															(20,313)	348
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2015	$ 1,775,762				$ 831,500		$ 747			$ 0		$ (1,577)	$ 982,814			$ 0		$ (77,159)		$ (73,325)	$ 944,262
Balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2015	(74,644,141)						(74,709,442.000)			0		(65,301)